Randy Z. Ochoa's Comic Reviews

Reviewer For: We The Nerdy Reviews: 35
8.3Avg. Review Rating

It doesn't matter if you're a fan of the series, or someone that just enjoys a laugh, Just the Tips is sure to leave you with a smile, and sore stomach.

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Valerio Schiti once again shows why hes in this game. Subtle expressions are somewhat difficult to do in the comics medium, but he succeeds in it during Namors visit to Latveria. You see his range of emotions, from cocky, to shocked, to desperate, and all over again in the span of a page. While the entire exchange between Namor and Doom is excellent, there is one scene I believe also stands out in the issue. Terrax is meant to do something terrible with a set of skulls belonging to the X-Men of the earth they are on. This probably would have played differently with any other artist, but Schiti makes it playful as in a dark, but funny Shakespearean scene.

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Unity #1 is a powerhouse of an issue and is a great beginning to a series that promises, and delivers, great action, and a good time.

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Wonder Woman #35 is wonderful (pun definitely intended) end to a three-year run and a very long story. Absolutely everything about this finale was satisfying and brought together everything we've seen from issue #1 to now. No one is more deserving to a series of this quality like Diana, the Queen of Themyscira, the God of War, and THE Wonder Woman.

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One last thing to mention are the colors by Nolan Woodard. I praised them for last issue and there is no change from me on this issue. There are only so many ways to say you love something, so Ill just say this. His colors continue to work and bring out what makes this book great at heart.

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There is a lot of amazing imagery going on in this series and it has been the most wonderful thing to see Tarrs abilities grow in this medium and get better every issue. There is one moment in this issue that encapsulates the entire arc and what is to come going forward and that is a celebratory scene in the end. Tarr portrays Barbara as being genuinely happy, and the happiest weve seen her in all the New 52. There is joy, and happiness, and what we have is an all-new, reinvigorated Barbara. Its quite the thing to see.

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One of the continuing highlights of Endgame are the back ups featuring the origins of the Joker as told by escaped Asylum inmates. James Tynion IV and Graham Nolan give us a more alien approach this time as opposed to the demonic one last issue. They are quite enjoyable for the fact that in the end one of them is real, or at least will be the most real. Each story is starting to look like it fits into their type of illness. I excitedly await what comes from the next story.

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Theres a lot more to come in Clints story, and if the rest of it is only a tenth as good well have a story that will blow everything else out of the water.

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Inhumanity takes the large scope of what is to come in the Marvel Universe and creates a smaller tale of one mans perspective on his people.

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Sex Criminals #4 is another great entry in an astounding series breaking some new ground.

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The flashback here, as they have been, were handled by Dustin Nguyen, and he does a great job at setting these apart from the modern day story. There's a lot of power and subtlety needed in these flashbacks and Nguyen really nails it. John Kalisz's colors really set the scene. The gold colors take the power within Clark and unleash them with his anger.

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One of the biggest accomplishments here is how Michael Garland is able to add to that cinematic quality and build upon it with his colors. During that "pre-credits sequence" he shows us the shift in locations by only coloring them in a single color. It carries on through out the issue as you only see certain characters colored in a single color whenever they're brought up again. Once we leave Andrea, the Colonel and Courier (and his ilk) get their own color palette that shows who the focus of the sequence is. If youre reading this digitally do yourself a favor and switch to a view mode that lets you see all the pages at once and look at the color progression of the entire issue. Its a great thing to look at how Garland works with the story.

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Elizabeth Breitweiser brings it on every page she colors and this is no different. I think the best thing, for this issue at least is that the green that covers Charlie when the focus is on him. Even if things are in full color, there is usually a touch of green. There is one page where Charlies green palette slowly fades to red when the story turns focus to Valeria Sommers, a Hollywood actress. It isnt subtle, but something you may miss on the first read. Her colors alone make this required reading.

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Ivan Reis was the right artist for this first bookend. Hes proven time and time again that destruction and epic set pieces are his thing and its a thing he does very well. From the destruction of various earths in this issue, and even the interior of the Ultima Thule, Nix Uotans ship, Reis really shows the scope of the threat well see unfold over eight issues. Joe Prados inks, and Nei Ruffinos colors really add to the bleakness of the situation. Prados inks on the destroyed set pieces really sell things with the way they themselves look broken, especially with the crosshatching in the distance that doesnt quite give you a clear sky.

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Dave McCaig is on colors for this and boy what a great combo he is on Sprouses art. His color palette really works well for this world. Things book is made of green, orange, and brown, and serves the adventure qualities of this book. You have the greens of the big city and the industrial, and the orange and browns of the jungle which is opposite of what you would think, but it is simply fantastic.

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Avengers #24.NOW! makes for a great kickoff to the All-New Marvel NOW! Initiative so make sure to pick it up, and if not for the great story and action, then to see Thor grilling in an apron.

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This is an issue that rolls with the punches of the larger Marvel Universe and continues to tell a story that gets into the smaller facets of the characters involved.

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Lee Loughridges colors are to be applauded. Every setting and scene seems to have its own shade. All of the ground scenes are a nice yellow, all the JSon scenes are red, and even the one panel of Jackie in her ship is a nice pink. It looks like the only parts of the book in full color are the space set scene, and a single panel of a landscape. It shows importance with respect to the rest of the book. You see these and know big things are happening.

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Joe Madureira is a beast behind the pencil on this third, and last issue of his run. Everything he draws has a ton of energy. Medusas hair moves with the power of a tornado and the new character Groves rainbows dart around with speed. Everything about this is strong and real. Not being inked also gives Madureiras extra depth. Maybe thats the secret to the energy of his scenes.

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Ms. Marvel #2 brings us a very real look at the life of a teenager in an overbearing environment that really allows us to connect with the character and continues its momentum going forward.

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Its great to have Alphona back on art duties. His art works very well with the comedic tone of the book. There is a beat where Kamala has to headbutt her adversary, and the sequence of panels that illustrate this is something I think only Alphona could have handled. Lockjaw is going to be a mainstay on this book for the foreseeable future and its important that you get a clear sense of what is going on in that big teleporting head of his. Alphonas art is very expressive and even though Lockjaw cant say much more than ruff, you get an absolute clear message from Lockjaw. I think the only problem does come from Lockjaw, even with Kamalas ability to grow and shrink, there is a wild inconsistency with the size at which Lockjaw is drawn. Hes a larger than life character, literally and figuratively, but at times Kamala towers over him when he cannot have been using her powers.

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Quantum and Woody #7 is another hysterical entry in this buddy cop movie in ink.

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Just a quick sidebar on Jeff Eckleberrys letters. There is also a subtle thing about them if you take a good look at them. The word balloons themselves imitate Youngs own inking style. Its a small detail, but one that really makes you smile.

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Andrade continues on with art after last issue and has proved hes a very good match for this series. While it would be great if Young had stayed on art full time, Andrade is really knocking it out of the park here. There are moments he captures perfectly where Rocket is boasting about himself and you can see every inch of pride in every line on the page.

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In the review for last issue, I noted that any time Charlie was on his own, everything was green, this remains for this issue too but something else drew my attention. While most of the flashbacks shown are always tinted with a certain color, an exchange between Charlie and Valeria dont follow the trend. Its unclear whether this is a flashback or a fantasy on Charlies part, but it really makes you pay attention to whats going on. There relationship could have been more important than weve seen already. It does seem like that might not really be the case, but it shows the importance of color in this series, and storytelling in general.

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This is a great first issue that follows in the footsteps of what came before but quickly sets it own path.

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X-O Manowar brings another great issue that struggles with its presentation, but ultimately succeeds in sympathizing with Arics rationale.

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While suffering from inconsistent art, this issue continues Valiants streak of great action packed books.

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This issue gives many characters their moment to shine and leaves you wishing they had their own solo books so the adventure would never end.

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A fine conclusion to its Infinity story, Guardians of the Galaxy #9 brings a lot to the fold, but is hurt just a bit by its post event release date.

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Alphonas art is great as usual, but at points it feels a bit inconsistent with what weve gotten in the previous issues. There are times when characters feel stiff even in something like an explosion where there should be lots of movement. This is definitely nothing to worry about though as the rest of the issue was top notch. There is one scene in particular where Kamala comically falls through a skylight and the expression on her face is absolutely priceless.

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As a continuation of the building events of New Avengers, this issue sets up the next act of things to come. As a tie-in to the Inhumanity storyline, there were avenues I wish were explored yet werent.

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This is a sufficient first issue that will satisfy fans of the animated show, but may struggle to find readers outside of that audience.

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This story will have a long way to go to show us Angela's life. While it has a lot going for it, it still has a lot of problems going for it. Hopefully as the series goes on the split narrative with a main story and substory either goes away or learns to work better with each other.

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David Finch really creates the biggest problem with this because his art come into conflict with what Meredith seems to want to do. In every scene it seems as if Wonder Woman is frightened and scared. She looks entirely timid. It takes away the power were shown in words and makes it look like she doesnt want to be there. Theres also the problem of the age he portrays her as. Looking around its said that Diana is only twenty-three. Even if that is still true, she looks fourteen and even that seems to change from page to page. If this is the work we get in this first issue then I have no confidence in what is to come.

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